Absorbent products intended to absorb discharged body fluids are well known in the art. Such absorbent products generally comprise a fibrous mass or other absorbent body which can absorb and hold the body fluids. Similarly, it is well known that, feminine care articles have been employed to absorb and hold liquids, such as urine, blood and/or menses. The absorbent articles have included various systems of liquid-handling layers, such as intake layers, distribution layers, retention layers and the like. The absorbent articles have also included operative amounts of superabsorbent materials to provide increased absorbent capacity. Additionally, the absorbent articles have included patterns of embossments distributed on the bodyside surface of the article to provide a hinging action, or to inhibit or direct a desired flow of liquids. Other arrangements of the absorbent articles have included wing portions which can help to hold the article in place at a selected location in a wearer's undergarment. Various fasteners have been employed to secure the wing portions in a desired configuration during ordinary use. The fasteners have included adhesive fasteners as well as interengaging mechanical fasteners, and the mechanical fasteners have included conventional, hook-and-loop fasteners. Particular arrangements of the various components of the absorbent articles have been configured to provide desired levels of extensibility or elastomeric stretchability.
Conventional absorbent systems, however, have not provided desired levels of stretchability in combination with desired levels of containment of superabsorbent particles in a fibrous matrix. When such conventional absorbent systems have been constructed to provide a composite which includes superabsorbent particles within a matrix of fibers, the composite has not adequately provided desired levels of stretchability and particle-containment. The particles of superabsorbent materials have not been adequately held and retained in the associated matrix of fibers, and the absorbent composite has exhibited excessive amounts of particle shake-out. As a result, such conventional system have required additional envelope structures of barrier materials to contain superabsorbent particles that have detached from composite, and to prevent the particles from contacting the body of a user.